Tobacco dispenser



Sept. 30, 1958 L. D. vlEMAN TOBACCO DISPENSER Filed Dec. 27, 1954 LEWIS D. WEMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOBACCG DISPENSER Lewis D. Vieman, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,784

4 Claims. (Cl. 131-3) The present invention relates to practical means for charging a smoking pipe with a ration of tobacco. More specifically, the invention relates to cartridge devices containing a ration of tobacco which may be discharged or inserted into the `bowl of a smoking pipe and wherein the cartridge may be discarded or retained for rell.

In the United States numerous eiorts have been made to provide pipe smokers with a convenient tobacco cartridge containing a single ration of tobacco, not the least of these elorts being made by inventors Musekamp and McCutcheon. To a degree these eiforts have been successful in providing clean storage for a ration of tobacco. Nevertheless, prior art devices are so constructed that in charging the smoking pipe, there is a tendency to lose portions of the ration due to the necessity for displacing one or more closure members prior to dispensing the ration within the pipe bowl. Additionally, certain devices in which the bottom closure member is not entirely removed frorn the cartridge are impractical in that the bottom closure when set aside intrudes into the bowl of the pipe and, upon withdrawal of the cartridge, disturbs the charge after it has been deposited in the bowl of the pipe. Further disadvantages in the art accrue from the limited use of the rather cumbersome and non-conformable units which are relatively iniiexible with respect to pipes having bowls of varying size and interior configuration` Filter means have not been employed in combination with cartridges containing a ration of tobacco. Prior lter devices lter the smoke after it has left the pipe bowl, and thus do not prevent fouling of the heel` and part of the stern by impurities and juices in the smoke. From experience it has lbeen noted that due to improper manual packing of the pipe bowl the tobacco burns irnproperly for full enjoyment, and it is moreover diicult to clean residual ashes from pipes. Certain specific prior art devices are so constructed that a proper, well-tamped, and effective package ration cannot he deposited within the ibowl without excessive handling. The present invention is accordingly adapted to overcome the disadvantages inherent in pipe smoking preparation and to insure facile removal of impurities from the pipe including undesirable metallic salts, acids and alkaloids.

The broad concept of this invention encompasses the provision for initially carrying and subsequently handily depositing a ration of tobacco in the bowl of a pipe free from any manual tamping or handling; the ration once being deposited in the `howl naturally having the proper density for providing a uniform and long lasting, full burning and enjoyable smoke. The invention includes a cartridge having a -cell element which may be called a body portion for containing the ration of tobacco. To the body portion may be integrally formed or attached an adaptor for aligning the body portion with the bowl of a pipe. This adaptor insures facile and secure articulation between the device and the pipe regardless of size or design thereof. Plunger means are provided at the top of the device for expressing the ration downwardly and A proximate the bottom there is provided means for initially iCC containing and sequentially dispensing the ration through the body portion. Filter means are included in one instance, and if desired the charge may be retained in the bowl together with a pouch or cage, facilitating removal of the dehydrated tobacco or products of combustion together with a suitable lter element.

The objects of the invention include the provision for a convenient means of carrying separate rations of pipe tobacco wherein each ration may be properly dispensed in a pipe entirely free of manual contact. l

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique tobacco dispensing cartridge of the type described in which properly packed tobacco may he dispensed and deposited in a pipe bowl without disturbance to the packed mass.

In further objective, the invention encompasses novel unitary packaging means for separate rations of tobacco in which said rations may be dispensed sequentially inde pendently of one another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a disposable package in which a ration of tobacco may be deposited, consumed and disposed of substantially exclusive of the smokers contactwith the prepared ration excepting the package therefor.

Other objects will the apparent from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a vertical, sectional View of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the device shown in Fig. l, wherein the ration of tobacco is partially removed in charging from the body portion of the device;

Fig. 3 is a modication of the device shown in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of a modification of the device in which the body portion is slidable within a concentric adaptor portion;

Fig. 5 is an operational view in elevation of the modication shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a modication of the invention shown in Fig. 3 in which a number of such devices are connected end to end;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a modification of the device of Fig. l3 in which a slidable closure is attached;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the closure of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a modification of the invention wherein a noncornbustible pouch or cage is employed to retain the ration of tobacco in situ during smoking.

Referring now to Fig. l, there is shown a tobacco cartridge 10 having open end portions 12 and 14, the latter end portion curved and sized to provide an adaptor therefor. In order that the cartridge may be easily and securely engaged with the rim of the pipe bowl, and in order that the tobacco may be easily discharged into the bowl, the inside diameter of the cartridge is preferably slightly less than the inside diameter of the pipe bowl, and the curvature of the adaptor is preferably the same as that of a cylinder having a diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of the pipe bowl. Body portion or cell 16 is generally cylindrical in shape and has an inner wall 18 to which is attached a lowermost conning element 20. Element 20 is adhesively secured to 3 nng member '20 may be ruptured upon expression of the tobacco content downwardly Within the cell 16. In this connection, the upper confining member or closure 26 is adapted to serve as aplunger, manually depressible to slide within the cylindrical wall 18 of the cell. Closure 26 must be of sufficient depth so that its bearing against wall 18 will keep 'it from rotating on a horizontal axis under the pressure exerted 'to slide it Within the cell. Closure 26 abuts an overlapping end of the cell '12 to form therewith an upper seal for the cell. Now, as this confining member 26 is manually depressed, the 'lower confining member 20 is ruptured sufiiciently to permit passage of the charge of tobacco 'through the cell initially and -sequentially beyond the adaptor 14. Overlapping portions of the confining member 20 now are gradually compressed, s'idewardly against the wall 18 of the body portion out of the path ofthe charge-of tobacco and clear of Ywalls. of the pipe bowl. To prevent the member from .fouling the interior of the bowl of the pipe, member 20 must be secured .to wall'18 at a sufficient distance from end A14 of .the cartridge so that on discharging the tobacco, member 20 will be brushed entirely against wall 18 without protruding beyond the end of the cartridge.

Turning attention to Fig. .3, a cartridge 40 is illustrated .as having open ends 42 and 44 and a connecting cylindrical `wall 46. The lowermost confining or closure element of the device may consist of a cylinder filter 50 frictionally fitted within the wall 46 and in which the bottom 52 Vthereof may be convex, rather than as shown in Fig. 3, to conform substantially tothe concave bottom of the pipe bowl. The arrangement shown in Fig. 3, however, is preferred. During .the period of storage illustrated in Fig. 3, the uppermost closure 54 rests-contiguous the overlapping `top 42 of the device, yabutting said overlapping top, inwardly directed. Filter 50 is discharged ahead of the tobacco into the pipe bowl by depressing closure 54 as described for Fig. 2. Filter 50 is constructed of a non-combustible or .combustion resistant substance which allows passage of the smoke and which -may remove carcinogens, tats, juices and other impurities. To facilitate removal of this filter 50 from the pipe afterthe tobacco is smoked, it maybe setin thefpipebowlas by ythe attachment of a nonlcombustible ribbon 56, which by virtue ofthe manner of deposit of tobacco passes and is pressed substantially contiguous the interior of the bowl of the pipe to overhang ythe mouth thereof at the top.

Modification 60 .illustrated by Fig. 4 comprises a body .portion -62 which may vbe cylindrical in cross-section. Inner wall 64 is slidably engaged .by the upper confining member 66. In .this construction, the lowermost section .68 of cellular element 62 is open and may `be provided with a protruding bead member suitable 'for frictionally bearing against a seal hereinafter idefined. Adaptor 70 is :disposed substantially concentric with respect to .the body Yportion 62, the inner diameter .ofthe adaptor being :slightly larger .than the Youter diameter of the body portion 62. The adaptor 70 has inner wall 72, open lower extremity 74and open upper extremity 76. The lower extremity is 4preferably provided with a protrusion 74 to arrest movement of body portion y62 during dispensing. A suitable fiexible seal '78 is fixedly secured at one end to a segment of wall 72. This seal is passed beneath .the'bottom of the cell 62 and being fixed at one wall segment `is temporarily retained .in position on all other segments by the pro- -trusion of the cell 62, pressure from the protrusion fric- `tionallyretaining said seal 78 against the interior wall 72 of the adaptor 70. Such engagement is shown as at 80 wherein the free end of the seal passes substantially between the lower end .exterior portion of the body 62 and 'the 4upper end interior portion of the adaptor 70.

To discharge the 'ration of tobacco from cell 62, first the seal 78 must be broken .or passed aside. vOne there- 'fore reciprocates the cell "62 slidably downwardly within the adaptor 70, thereby .forcibly pushing the seal 78 away from the bottom of the body portion and to flatten the seal against one side of internal wall 72 of the adaptor. See Figure 5. To prevent the seal from fouling the interior of the bowl of the pipe, it is obvious that the seal must be so constructed that it does not exceed in overall length, the height of the adaptor portion, for when the bottom of the upper cell is passed substantially entirely to the end of the adaptor, the seal must be brushed entirely against wall 72. Further discharge of content may be effected substantially as in the previously defined modifications of the invention, `namely by forcible downward movement of the plunger 66 sufficiently to discharge the entire ration from the body portion to the bowl of the pipe. Packaging in each instance is critical, because of the desirability of retaining a preferred density of the ration.

In Fig. 6 is\ depicted a modification 90 of the device in Fig. 3, containing a plurality of tobacco charges and filters packaged end to end in segments with the filters separating the individual tobacco charges. The elongated cartridge may be in one piece and Vhave seal breaking tabs as at 92 circumferentially spaced thereabout under the cartridge material or incorporated as a tear-out portion thereof, or it may consist of separate portions held together by removable sleeves as at 94. Tabs or sleeves are spaced so that after closure element 96 is depressed to discharge the lowermost filter 98 and tobacco charge, the empty top portion of the cartridge may be removed by tearing back the topmost seal breaking tab or, if sleeves are used, slipping off the topmost sleeve. The device is then ready to discharge the next filter and charge of tobacco. The compact nature and facility of use of this device and the contained tobacco charges render the package unique in the art.

Figs. 7 and 8 depict a modification of the adaptor shown in previous figures which renders the cartridge .100 slidable sidewise within a combination adaptor-and-seal 102, thus permitting the filter to -be eliminated. Prior to use, the cartridge is retained in end 104 of the adaptor-seal by cam-like protuberances 106 in the wall thereof, and the tobacco is sealed in the cartridge by surface 108. To dispense the tobacco, the end 110 of the adaptor-seal is -engaged in the pipe bowl as in previously described devices, cartridge 100 is pushed sidewise past protuberances 106 to :end 110, and the tobacco is discharged through orifice 112.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, device -consists of a non-combustible pouch or cage member 122 having a closed bottom 124 generally conforming to the bottom of a pipe bowl, a mouth 126, and being so construeted as to permit the passage of smoke. A filter 128 may be placed within .the bottom of the Vpouch or cage 122. In this device a concentric pouch securing ring combination is -employed wherein ring 130 extends Vperiph- Verally within a dependent external support ring 132 which support is overlapping the top of the :pouch or cage. Concentric support 132 is provided with a removable cap 134, said cap being readily removed by the tab member 136.

Whereas I have defined the invention with a degree of particularity, it is to be noted that the scope of the invention extends to the definition thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A tobacco cartridge for smoking pipes comprising a tubular cell, a pipe bowl adapter connected 'to one end of the cell and conforming to the configuration of pipe bowl interiors for partial removable engagement with vthe rimof a pipe bowl to center the cell, means for confining tobacco in the cell, the cell being engageable with a pipe bowl 'and'tobacco released thereinto without prior removal of the confining means, and the cell being thereafter freely disengageable from the pipe bowl without .disturbing tobacco deposited in the pipe bowl, said conning means including a lower closure element compris- 5 ing a smoke iilter member frictionally sealed at its periphery to the tubular cell.

2. A tobacco cartridge for smoking pipes comprising a tubular cell having open ends, a pipe bowl adapter connected to one end of the cell and conforming in size and shape to the configuration of pipe bowlinteriors for partial removable engagement with the inner rim of a pipe bowl to center the cell, upper tobacco confining means in the cell movable therein to release tobacco from the cell, and a lower tobacco confining element comprising a smoke lilter frictionally sealed at its periphery to the tubular cell.

3. The device according to claim 2said upper confning means including a closure element in the form of a piston, reciprocally engaging the inner Wall of the cell to forcibly dispense tobacco through the lower end of the cell and to the pipe bowl, free of impediment.

4. A tobacco cartridge for smoking pipes comprising a tubular cell, a pipe bowl adapter connected to one end of the cell and conforming to the configuration of pipe bowl interiors for partial removable engagement with the rim of a pipe bowl to center the cell, means for c011-l iining tobacco in the cell, the cell being engageable with a pipe bowl and tobacco released thereinto without prior removal of the confining means, and the cell thereafter freely disengageable from the pipe bowl Without disturbing tobacco deposited in the pipe bowl, said coniining means including a lower closure element comprising a smoke permeable member dischargeable into the pipe bowl aheadof the tobacco.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,974 Drucklieb July 18, 1911 1,072,914 Comings Sept. 9, 1913 2,543,190 Musekamp Feb. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,714 Great Britain 1910 6,946 Great Britain 1910 6,994 Great Britain 1910 882,964 Germany Nov. 29, 1951 

